The short answer to this question may simply be that you are legally required to do so in order to get planning permission for a project, perform an activity (like filming) that might disturb natural habitats or change what a piece of land is used for.
There are good reasons why these surveys have become a legal requirement and equally good reasons why neglecting to carry them out adequately can result in significant financial penalties for organisations or individuals, and even custodial sentences. This legislation has been passed at international, national and local government levels to ensure that future development activities protect valuable habitats and species and to ensure that their well-being is catered for in the planning and completion of all significant projects.
These laws and directives resulted directly from the consequences of developing areas without considering the full environmental impact; ranging from global warming to the loss of habitats like marshes, bogs, heathland, meadows and woodland, which resulted in many species being driven to extinction and hundreds of others having seen massive population declines. There are currently hundreds of protected species in the UK and they include birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, invertebrates and plants (for more information on which species are protected, refer to the Schedules listed in the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981). Consequently, international bodies and governments have been striving to identify and protect vulnerable habitats and species using a number of measures such as protected areas and protected statuses, alongside laws, in an attempt to promote recovery of the affected species.
This increased legislation is in line with the population in general becoming more aware of environmental issues, making it important for all brands involved in planning and construction to be able to demonstrate that they are mindful of issues and are developing in an environmentally responsible way. Increasingly, project managers are needing to demonstrate that they have not only adopted the best practices with regard to conservation but have planned to improve biodiversity, in order to obtain planning permissions. More information is available on developers’ obligations in England and Wales from the relevant legal bodies, but we are more than happy to help clients make sense of the elements that impact them directly.
The survey process aims to identify and document the habitats and species that would be affected by the proposed work, both on the site and in the immediate vicinity. If it is suspected that the area is used by a protected species, further work is generally required to confirm this and determine the extent of the usage. At JP Ecological Services, we aim for the highest level of transparency for clients at all stages of the process, providing reports that summarise our findings in plain English and help you to navigate the next steps of your project including a starting point for what mitigations can be put in place to protect wildlife and habitats.
When employed correctly, the survey process can save you time and money by identifying proposals that would not be signed off; help companies demonstrate that they are socially responsible and help to preserve British wildlife.
The web-based “Planning Portal” www.planningportal.co.uk provides the framework for development planning within the UK.
If you think that we could help with surveys, mitigation measures or management plans for your development project, please contact us.
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